Fluid pressure-operated actuator for hydraulic valves



S pt- 18, 1951 H. M. PURCELL, 2,568,54

FLUID PRESSURE-OPERATED ACTUATOR FOR HYDRAULIC VALVES Filed Nov. 25, 1946 s Sheets-Sheet 1 lNVENTOR HOWARD M. PURGELL Sept. 18, 1951 H. M. PURCELL FLUID PRESSURE-OPERATED ACTUATOR FOR HYDRAULIC VALVES s Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 25, 1946 HNVENTOR HOWARD M. PURGELL ATTORNEY FLUID PRESSURE-OPERATED ACTUATOR FOR HYDRAULIC VALVES Filed Nov. 25, 1946 H. M. PURCELL 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR HOWARD M. PURGELL ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 18, 1951 FLUID PRESSURE-OPERATED ACTUATOR FOR HYDRAULIC VALVES Howard M. Purcell, Mount Gilead, Ohio, assignor to H-P-M Development Corporation, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application November 25, 1946, Serial No. 712,110

6 Claims. (Cl. 121-41) This invention concerns fluid operable apparatus, and particularly an improved type fluid motor for actuating valves and the like.

Th particular object of the present invention is to provide a fluid motor which is selectively movable into a plurality of predetermined positions.

Still another object is the provision of a fluid motor for being used as a valve actuator or the like which is movable into a plurality of predetermined positions in response to predetermined pressures in the controlled circuit.

It is also an object to provide a valve actuator in connection with a circuit controlled by the said valve which is operable automatically for moving the valve into its plurality of positions in accordance with conditions in the controlled circuit or mechanism.

It is also an object to provide an improved fluid motor or valve actuator which is widely applicable for a plurality of services.

These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent upon reference to the following description taken in connection with the attached drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a circuit having a control valve therein which is controlled by a valve actuator constructed according to this invention;

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are views showing modified constructions for the actuating motor of this invention;

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the actuator employed for shiftin a reciprocating valve; and

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of still another type of circuit adapted for being controlled by an actuator constructed according to this invention.

General arrangement According to this invention, there is provided a fluid motor having an inlet port and one or more outlet ports. Movable between the ports is a motor member which is connected with a shaft or similar power transmitting device for exerting power on a work member.

The motor member is made selectively movable into a plurality of positions by normally equalizing the fluid pressures on the opposite sides thereof, the said sides being equal in area. Then, when one of the pressures is reduced as, for example, exhausting one of the outlet ports, the motor member moves toward the said outlet port and thereby actuates the work member to which it is connected. By arranging the motor member to cover the exhausted outlet port, the said member may be made to move into a plurality of positions from each outlet port to the next. 4

A biasing spring may be employed for returning the motor member to its original position after it has gone through a cycle of operations in one direction.

According to one form of the invention, the fluid pressures on the opposite sides of the motor member are equalized by a passage extending therethrough. This passage may be relatively free or restricted as desired, and there may be provided means for varying the restriction in order to accommodate the actuating device to particular circumstances. In another form of this invention, the opposite sides of the motor member are not connected, but the pressures are equalized thereacross by entrapping fluid on the discharge side thereof and reliviug the fluid at a predetermined pressure.

In still another form of the invention, the motor member occupies either of two end positions, and may be employed for controlling a pilot valve which, in turn, controls an operating valve which directs pressure fluid to a. motor. By making the valve actuator for the pilot valve responsive to the-pressures at the ports of the motor the circuit can be arranged for full or semi-automatic operation as desired.

Structural arrangement Referring to Figur 1, there is shown a. motor at III which includes a ram l2 having the advancing means It and the retracting means It.

The ram I2 is operable for clamping a pair of work members l8, which may be mold sections,

together.

Connected with the advancing means It by a conduit 20, and to the retracting means by a conduit 22, is a reversing valve 24. The reversing valve has an inlet conduit 26 connected therewith and an exhaust conduit 28, and a valve member 30 which connects either of the conduits 20, 22 with the pressure conduit 26 while connecting the other of the conduits 20, 22 with the exhaust conduit 28. A spring 32 continuously urges the valve 30 in a direction to connect the conduits 22 and 28 while a solenoid BI is adapted for being energized to move the valve member to connect the conduits 28 and 26.

The conduit 26 is connected to a port 34 of a rotary valve 36 which also comprises the ports 38, 48 and 42. The port 38 is connected by a. conduit 44 with the discharge side of a pump 46 which is connected to draw fluid from a reservoir 48. The ports 48 and 42 are connected with the ports 68 and 62 of a fluid intensifier 54. The actual construction of the intensifier 54 forms no part of the present invention and is illustrated and described in detail in the copending application Serial No. 594,413, filed May 18, 1945, in the name of Warren R. Tucker, now Patent No. 2,486,079, granted October 25, 1949, and assigned to the same assignee as the present application. This fluid intensifier includes an exhaust port 68 and is operable to receive fluid through the ports 58 and and to discharge fluid to the port 62 at reduced pressure, or to receive fluid through the port 52 and to discharge fluid to exhaust through the port 58 and fluid at intensifled pressure through the port 58.

The valve 36 includes a rotary valve member 68 having the passages 68, 62 and 66 extending therethrough. With the valve member in the position shown, the passage 68 interconnects the ports 38 and 48 and the passage 66 interconnects the ports 34 and 42. When the valve member is rotated 45 clockwise from the position shown, the ports 48 and 42 are closed oif while the passage 62 interconnects the ports 34 and 38. When the valve member is rotated an additional 45 clockwise from its last mentioned position, the pasagefill connects the ports 34 and 48 while the passage 66 connects the ports 38 and 42.

For shifting the valve member 58, there is a shaft indicated by the dashed line 68 which has connected therewith a torsion spring I8 which continuously urges the valve member toward its Figure 1 position. Also connected with the shaft 68 is the motor member I2 of the valve actuator 14 which also comprises a casing I8 having a chamber I8 therein within which the said motor member rotates.

The motor member I2 has equal areas on the opposite faces thereof which are connected by a passage 83 extending through the said memher. One side of th motor member is exposed to pressure conducted thereto by the conduit 82 which is connected with the conduit 28 that conducts pressure fluid to the advancing means I4 01' the ram. I2. The chamber I8 on the opposite side of the motor member has connected therewith a pair of spaced discharge conduits 84 and 86. It will be noted that the motor member will cover the end of the conduit 84 after rotating 45, and that after rotation of 90 the motor member will come to a halt and at the same time cover the end of the conduit 86.

Connected between the conduits 84, 86 and the reservoir 48 are the relief valves 88, 88, respectively, each of which includes a valve member 88 biased into closed position by an adjustable spring 82.

Preferably, the valve 88 connected with the conduit 84 is set for a lower pressure than the valve 88 connected with the conduit 86. Thus, when the pressure in chamber 18 reaches a predetermined value, the valve 88 will open to exhaust the said chamber whereupon the motor member I2 will rotate clockwise until the end of the conduit 84 is covered. Thereafter, a predetermined greater pressure in the chamber I6 will bring about the opening of the valve 88 which 4 will exhaust the chamber I8 and permit the motor member I2 to rotate another 45 into its stopped position. When the pressure in the conduit 82 is reduced, the torsion spring I8 will reguru the motor member I2 to its Figure l posi- The actuation oi the motor member I2 may be made responsive to the position which the ram I2 has reached by connecting between the conduit 84 and the reservoir 48 the normally closed valve 84, and by arranging a cam 86 to engage and actuate the valve member 88 of the said valve into open position. Optionally, the valve member 88 may be made manually operable by the provision of the actuating lever I88.

When it is not desired to shift the motor member I2 in response to the position of the ram I2, the shut-off valve indicated at I82 may be closed.

The operation of the circuit of Figure 1 is as follows:

With the ram I2 in its Figure 1 position, the torsion spring I8 maintains the valve member 58 and the motor member I2 in their Figure 1 position. When the valve member 38 is shifted by energization of the solenoid SI into its Figure 1 position, pressure fluid from the pump passes through the conduit 44, the valve bore 68, the port 48 and the port 58 into the fluid pressure converter 54. Thi brings about a supply of fluid from the port 52 of the converter at reduced pressure and increased volume which flows through the port 42 of the valve 36, the passage 66, the port 34, the conduit 26, the valve 24 and the conduit 28 to the advancing means When a predetermined pressure is built up in the advancing means this acts through the conduit 82, the passage 83 and the conduit 84 to open the relief valve 88, This causes the pressure in the right side of chamber I8 to drop and the motor member I2 to rotate clockwise until the end of the conduit 84 is covered thereby. When the conduit 84 is covered. movement of the motor member stops because pressure on the opposite sides thhereoi again become equal, and any tendency for the motor member 12 to return to its original position under action of the spring I8 is prevented by reason of the positive pressure acting thereon through the conduit 82, and any such movement would result in unequal pressures upon the opposite pressure faces of the member I2, and any opening of the conduit 84 after the establishment of a predetermined maximum pressure through the conduit 82, would immediately cause the opening of the relief valve 88 to once again return the member I2 to its covering position with respect to the conduit 84. It should be understood, that after the member I2 initially closes the conduit 84, and equal pressures are established upon the opposite faces of the member, the same will have a tendency to return toward it original position under action of the spring I8, but such movement is limited to that providing for intermittent opening and closing of the conduit 84, and the member 12 will, therefore, remain in a substantially closing position with respect to the conduit 84.

The valve member 58 is now rotated to a position 45 clockwise of its Figure 1 position so that there is a direct connection from the pump discharge conduit 44 through the valve passage 62 to the inlet conduit 26 for the valve 24. Thus, the pump discharges directly into the advancing means l4 and the ram l2 continues to advance but at increased pressure and reduced speed.

When a predetermined higher pressure is developed in the advancing means I4, this acts through the conduit 02. passage 08 and conduit to open the valve 08 whereupon the motor member 12 rotates through another 45 clockwise and shifts the valve member 50 another 45 clockwise. The pump is now connected by the conduit 44, the passage 00 and the port 42 with the port 52 of the fluid pressure converter 54 while the high pressure discharge port 00 of the converter is connected through the port 40 of the valve 00. the passage 00 and the port 04 with the conduit 20. Thus, the ram I2 either continues to advance into the work, or dwells on the work, with an intensified pressure actin thereon.

When the solenoid SI is de-energized the spring 02 moves the valve member to the left to connect the conduit 20 with exhaust whereupon the pressure in the advancing means I4 is reduced and the torsion spring immediately returns the motor member 12 and the valve member 50 to their Figure 1 position. As stated before, this provides for a low pressure-high volume supply of fluid from the pump through the converter 04 to the inlet of the valve 24 and the ram retracts to its Figure 1 position rapidly.

In Figure 2 an arran ement i shown wherein the actuating motor of this invention comprises a casing I02 having a chamber I04 within which is rotatable the motor member I00. In Figure 2 the motor member I00 does not have its opposite sides interconnected and in order to supply fluid to the chamber I04 when the motor member moves counterclockwise therein the relief valve I00 which is connected with the discharge port IIO of the chamber I04 is bypassed by a check valve II2 opening toward the said chamber.

The modification in Figure 3 is substantially identical to that shown in Figure 1 and bears corresponding numerals with the addition of a subscript a. In Figure 3 it is shown that the passage 00a could be variably restricted in order to control the communication between the opposite sides of the motor member 12a by the needle valve I I4 which could be adjusted through the plugged port H0 in order to control the characteristic of the actuating device.

Figure 4 illustrates an actuating device similar to that shown in Figure 1 and bears corresponding numerals with the addition of a subscript b. In Figure 4, in addition to the discharge conduits 04b and 000, there are also provided discharge conduits H0 and I which are spaced around the periphery of the chamber 10b. In Figure 4, the chamber 181) extends substantially farther around the casing 10b while the motor member 12b is of a width from side to side so that substantially 180 of movement thereof may be had, while in its extreme clockwise position all of the discharge ports are covered.

In Figure 5, there is shown an arrangement wherein the actuating device is connected to control a reciprocating valve. In this figure the reciprocating valve is indicated at I22 and comprises a valve member I24 which controls communication between a pressure line I20, and exhaust I21 and a pair 01' service lines I20 and I00.

The valve member is continuously urged toward the right by a spring I02 and has connected therewith a rack I84 which is engaged by a pinion I00 carried on the shaft I00 of the actuating device.

Figure 5 also illustrates a pilot pump I40 which is connected by a conduit I42 with the inlet of the actuating device. The outlet ports of the actuating device are connected by the conduits I44 and I40 with the inlets of the two-way valve I40 and I50, respectively. Each oi the said two-way valves is normally urged closed by a spring and may be actuated into open position by any of several means as, for example, by pressure in the circuit controlled by the valve I22, manually, according to a time cycle, etc.

Figure 6 illustrates a modified arrangement of the actuator of this invention and a modified circuit controlled thereby. In Figure 6,'there is a motor at I52 to which is connected the reversin valve I04 by the conduits I and I08. The valve I54 receives pressure through a conduit I00 from a pump I02 which draws fluid from the reservoir I04.

The valve I04 is preferably pilot operated and has the pilot chambers I00 and I00 on the ends thereof which are connected by the conduits I10 and I12, respectively, with the service ports of the four-way rotary pilot valve indicated at I14. The pilot valve I14 receives pressure fluid through a conduit I10 from the pump I02. and also has an exhaust connection I10 leading to the reservoir I04. 1

Connected with the rotary member I00 of the valve member I14 is the motor member I02 of the valve actuating device of this invention indicated generally at I04.

The motor member I82 rotates in a chamber I80 which is connected at its left-hand end through a relief valve I00 with the conduit I50. The relief valve is bypassed by a check valve I00 opening toward the chamber I00 and a normally closed manually operable valve I02.

The other side of the chamber I80 is similarly connected through a relief valve I84 with the conduit I08 and the said relief valve is bypassed by a check valve I90 opening toward the chamber I00 and the normally closed manually operabie valve I00.

For urging the motor member I02 away from a center position, the shaft 200 thereof may carry a cam 202 which is engaged by a spring pressed member 204. As the motor member I02 passes its center position, the spring pressed member 204 and the cam 202 are operable to urge the said motor member in the same direction of movement toward its end position.

The pump I02 is bypassed by a conduit 200 that includes a valve 200 which may be moved selectively into open or closed position.

conditions.

In operation, the pump I02 is started, and the valve 200 is then moved into closed position. The closing of the valve 200 causes a pressure to build up in a conduit I00 and to extend through the valve I04 to one of the conduits I50, I08. When this pressure reaches a predetermined value, the motor member I02 is automatically shifted by the opening of one of the relief valves I00, I84 whereupon the valve member I00 of the pilot valve I14 is moved to cause a supply of pressure fluid to one or the operating chambers I00, I08 and to reverse the valve I54. This reverses the motor I02 until pressure builds up in the other of the conduits I00, I50 whereupon the motor member I02 is again actuated to reverse the valve I54. It will be apparent that semi-automatic operation of the motor I02 could be had by adjusting one of the relief valves I00, I84 to a sufllciently high pressure that it was inoperative under normal In this case. the motor could be re- 7 versed by actuation of one of the manually oper'able valves l02, i 90.

The motor I52, when operating on full automatic cycle; could be halted by opening the valve 208 to bypass the pump delivery to the reservoir. It will be apparent that the motor I52 could be of a reciprocating type if desired and that the operation of the valve actuating mechanism would be the same. Y

It' win be understood that this invention is susceptible to modification in order to adopt it to diiXerent usages and conditions and, accordingly', it is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within th scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a hydraulic actuator; a casing; a member movable in said casing from one end thereof to the other and having opposed actuating areas; a first port in one end of said casing on one side of said member; a plurality of other ports in said casing on the other side of said member; a channel hydraulically connecting said areas; means of supplying actuating fluid to said first port; and relief valves connected with said other ports and adjusted to be actuated at successively higher pressures for bringing about the movement of said member in increments from the said one'end of said casing to the other.

2. In a hydraulic actuator; a casing; a member movable in said casing from one end to the other thereof and having opposed and equal actuating areas; a first port in one end of said casing on one side of said member; a plurality of other ports in said casing on the other side of said a member and spaced apart in the direction of movement of said member; channel means hydraulically connecting said areas; means to supply actuating fluid to said first port; and means responsive to fluid pressures on the said other side of said member and movable to connect said other ports successively with exhaust for bringing about the movement of said member in increments from the said one end of said casing to the other.

3. In a hydraulic actuator; a casing; a member movable in said casing from one end to the other thereof and having opposed and equal actuating areas; a first port in one end of said casing on one side of said member; a plurality of other ports in said casing on the other side of said member and spaced part in the direction of movement of said member; channel means hydraulically connecting said areas; means to supply actuating fluid to said first port; and a relief valve connected with each of said other ports and operable in response to a predetermined pressure acting therein to exhaust the said port thereby to bring about the movement of said member into position to cover the said port, the relief valves being adjustable so that the said other port nearest the said member is exhausted first and the said other port furthest from said member is exhausted last.

4. In a hydraulic actuator; a cylindrical casing formed with an internal arcuate chamber; a member mounted in said casing for limited oscillatory movement within the chamber thereof, said member being formed with a pair of opposed equalarea pressurefaces; a first port in said casing communicating with the chamber thereof on one side; other ports in said casing communicating with the chamber thereof at its opposite side; means to connect said first port with a source of positive fluid pressure; and means connected with each of said other ports and responsive to different pressures within the chamber of said casing at the side adjacent said other ports for successively connecting said other ports to exhaust to permit movement of said member in increments from one end of said chamber to the other in response to positive fluid pressure applied through said first port.

5. In a hydraulic actuator; a casing; a member movable in said casing from one end to the other thereof and having opposed areas; a first port in one end of said casing on one side of said member; a plurality of other ports in said casing on the other side of said member; means to connect said first port with a source of pressure fluid pressure-responsive means connected with each of said other ports and with exhaust and operable in response to fluid pressures on the said other side of said member to connect the said other side of said member to exhaust and thereby to,bring about the movement of said member in increments from the said one end'of said casing to the other; and means urging said member to move in said casing to a position adjacent said first'port.

6. In a hydraulic actuator; a casing; a member movable in said casing from one end thereof to the other and having opposed actuating areas; a first port in one end of said casing communicating with one of the actuating areas of said member; a plurality of other ports in said casing communicating with the opposite actuating area of said member; channel means in said member hydraulically connecting the opposed. actuating areas thereof; means for variably restricting said channel means; means for supplying pressure fluid to said first port; and relief valves connected with said other ports and with exhaust and adjusted to be actuated at successively higher pressures for bringing about the movement of said member in increments from the said one end of said casing to the other.

HOWARD M. PURCELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

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